Lyft adds Toronto public transit info

Source: Lyft

Lyft riders in Toronto will see other transit options in the app with a new update. The app will show information from TTC, Go Transit, UP Express, and York Region Transit. Lyft will show nearby routes, upcoming departures, trip options, transit, and walking directions for nearby destinations.

This new feature helps Lyft riders decide the best transportation option for them, without having to leave the app. Lyft hopes this is "another step toward providing effective, equitable, and sustainable transportation to our communities, and towards creating a more seamless and connected transportation network."

Source: Lyft

Lyft, Uber now operates in Vancouver

Photo courtesy of Gadgets Now

After getting its license to operate in British Columbia, both Uber and Lyft are available in certain areas of Vancouver. For those looking for Lyft rides, they mainly work in the downtown area of Vancouver. Outside of the downtown area, they offer trips at the Pacific National Exhibition and Vancouver International Airport. 

Meanwhile, Uber operates so far in the larger Metro Vancouver area, including Coquitlam, Delta, Surrey, and West and North Vancouver. Uber passengers can be dropped off anywhere inside or outside its service area. But you can't start a trip outside of the service area. Both companies hope to expand further, as more drivers sign up. 

Source: CBC

Uber, Lyft can operate in British Columbia's Lower Mainland, Whistler

Photo by Peter Fazekas from Pexels

Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft can now operate in the Lower Mainland region and Whistler. British Columbia's Passenger Transportation Board released a press release about the news. The board wrote, "The decisions were made after a careful review of the extensive materials received during the application process, which included supporting information provided by the applicants and submissions from interested members of the public and stakeholders." 

After getting their licenses, Uber and Lyft will need to secure appropriate vehicle insurances. The companies will also need to work with the municipalities in their areas to make sure they comply with local by-laws. 

Waymo starts offering self-driving minivans for Lyft riders

If you find yourself in Waymo’s Phoenix, Arizona testing zone, you might be able to get a self-driving Lyft ride. The autonomous driving subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet launched its tie-in with ride-hailing service Lyft. Less than 10 self-driving minivans are roaming the streets of Phoenix and picking up Lyft riders who opt-in with the program. According to TechCrunch, Waymo plans to introduce 10 cars in the testing zone but it “isn’t there yet.” While not a lot of people will get to use the service, those who decide to be part of the testing can choose to use the Waymo minivan or a traditional Lyft ride.

This partnership doesn’t mean Waymo isn’t working on its own projects. The company still has its own commercial autonomous ride-hailing service called Waymo One. Earlier this month, Waymo struck a deal with Nissan and Renault to help build self-driving vehicles for those automakers.